By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
There are 14 students in the nursing program that began in January on the Cloud County Community College Geary County campus. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday.
According to the Director of the Program, Stefanie Perrett the program has existed for more than 40 years on the Concordia campus. "We had a vision that we needed to expand and grow into our Geary County region, serving our students that had been computing for over an hour and a half drive one way, and really just serving our community here at Geary County." There are also partnerships with long term care facilities and hospitals, and they are enhancing the availability of nurses who graduate and are then ready to go into practice.
"There is a big need for nursing throughout the state of Kansas and also in our local area as well, said Perret. There is a capacity for 18 students in the program right now and it will be expanded to 36 students starting in January of 2023.
Building B on the Geary County campus has been renovated to accommodate the program. That building also houses the Allied Health programs including EMT, CNA and CMA.
Cloud County Community College President Amber Knoettgen said this is a great attribute to the work of both the college and the community. "Because this was identified as a need, having a nursing program here in Junction City. So it's really nice to be able to respond to that need and fill it. So, it's really just a tribute to the mission of our institution."